Hunter Raffety

Mississippi County farmer, civic leader dies at 88

WYATT - George Hunter Raffety, 88, died at 1:40 p.m. July 21, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Born Nov. 21, 1913, at Bird's Mill near Wyatt, son of the late Ulysses G. and Julia T. Norris Raffety, he lived in Wyatt most of his life. A farmer and owner and operator of Raffety Gin, he was involved in several agricultural business organizations and served as mayor of Wyatt for many years. He was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston, Knights of Columbus and served on the St. Henry School Board and Parish Council. Raffety also served boards of directors for Levee District No. 3 and the First Security State Bank. In 1979, he was appointed by Missouri Gov. Joe Teasdale as presiding judge of Mississippi County.

On Dec. 24, 1936, he married Pauline Simmons who survives of the home.

Other survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Elott and Karen Raffety of Wyatt; two daughters and one son-in-law, Martha and Gene Donsbach of Roswell, Ga., and Mary Naidine Raffety of Nashville, Tenn.; five grandsons and spouses, Elott Hunter and Jaianne Raffety Jr. of Charleston, William Christopher Raffety of New York, N.Y., Thomas Daly and Jennifer Raffety of Charleston, John and Elizabeth Donsbach of Augusta, Ga., and George Donsbach of Roswell, Ga.; and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Mildred Smith and one brother, Ulysses Grant Raffety.

Visitation begins at 5 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, where a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. will be followed by Knights of Columbus rites.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Henry Catholic Church with the Rev. Gerald Brown, pastor, officiating.

Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery near Charleston.

Pallbearers will be: Richard Conn, Mark Dugan, Joe Sevic, John Moxley, Charles Moxley, David Renaud and Clark Dugan.

Memorial contributions may be sent to:

St. Henry School 306 Court St. Charleston, Mo. 63834